SOCIOLINGUISTIC FEATURES AND CODE-SWITCHING PATTERNS AMONG BATAK COMMUNITIES IN NORTH SUMATRA: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
CIRI SOSIOLINGUISTIK LAN POLA ALIH KODE ING MASYARAKAT BATAK ING SUMATERA UTARA
Keywords:
Batak language, code-switching, sociolinguistics, language maintenance, cultural identityAbstract
This study explores the sociolinguistic patterns and code-switching behav-ior among Batak communities in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The research investigates how cultural identity shapes language choice in various social contexts and examines the dynamic relationship between the Batak lan-guage and Indonesian as the national language. Through in-depth inter-views and participant observation in three selected communities repre-senting different Batak sub-ethnic groups (Toba, Karo, and Simalungun), this qualitative research identifies distinctive patterns of language mainte-nance and shift across generations. The findings reveal that socioeconom-ic status, educational background, and urbanization significantly influence code-switching behaviors, with older generations demonstrating stronger linguistic preservation tendencies compared to younger speakers. The study also identifies specific domains where the Batak language remains dominant despite increasing pressure from Indonesian and English. This research contributes to understanding minority language sustainability within multilingual societies and highlights the complex interplay between linguistic practices and cultural identity in rapidly changing socioeconomic landscapes. Implications for language preservation policy and educational approaches are discussed.
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